New Delhi: The Supreme Court on
Friday took suo motu recognisance of the murder of a Jharkhand judge, noting it
had “wider ramifications” and directing the state's Chief Secretary and
Director-General of Police to file reports within a week, when it will hear the
matter.
The court also expressed worry over reports of attacks on
judicial officers, and indicated it might seek reports from the concerned state
governments.
“This Dhanbad case has wider ramifications. We are getting
reports that judicial officers are being attacked around the country. We intend
to examine this and may seek report from all states,” Chief Justice of India NV
Ramana said.
The death of Uttam Anand, an Additional Sessions Judge in
Jharkhand's Dhanbad on Wednesday, has sparked anger and outrage, after what was
initially believed to be a hit-and-run took a chilling turn when security
footage of the incident led to a murder investigation.
The killing also caused an outcry in the Supreme Court; the
Chief Justice spoke to the Jharkhand Chief Justice on the day of the killing. “The
High Court has taken up the issue and the case is now on at the High Court. We
are aware of the case and we will take care,” Justice Ramana had said.
Jharkhand Chief Justice Ravi Ranjan ordered a probe into the
incident yesterday, which will be handled by a Special Investigative Team (SIT)
under the leadership of Additional DGP Sanjay Latkar.
The court said it will monitor the probe and directed the SIT
to provide updates on a regular basis, warning the team that investigative
delays would lead to case being transferred to the CBI.
Two persons - the driver of the vehicle (which initial
inquiries suggest was stolen) that hit him and an associate - have been
arrested in connection with Judge Anand's death so far. The wife of the driver
has been quoted as saying her husband claimed to have “won the lottery of ?
80,000”.
Early Wednesday morning Judge Anand was on his morning run
when he was hit just half a kilometre from his home. CCTV footage shows him
jogging along the side of a deserted road at 5 am when an auto turns and seems
to go straight for him, ramming into him and driving off.
He was found lying bleeding on the road and was taken to
hospital by a passerby. He died in hospital, according to the police, and his
body remained unidentified for hours.
His family had reported him missing when he did not return at
7 am.
The police tracked him down to the hospital and established
him as the man who had died in the accident. They have said CCTV footage makes
it clear he was hit deliberately.
Judge Anand had been handling many cases of mafia killings in
Dhanbad and recently rejected bail requests from two gangsters. The murder case
of Ranjay Singh, a close aide of MLA Sanjeev Singh, was also pending before his
court.
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